The 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers championship may have been settled in Portland last weekend, with Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou winning his second series championship in three years on Sunday, as the curtain fall of the season with the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The 2023 Rookie of the Year will be crowned on Sunday, with Chip Ganassi Racing’s Marcus Armstrong leading the standings by 26 points from Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Agustin Canapino.
Armstrong’s ability to clinch the ROY championship has been made all that bit easier with the news on Friday that Canapino has ben handed a grid penalty for Sunday’s race. The manufacturer’s championship will be settled on Sunday, with Honda Performance Development aiming to extend its 16-point championship lead over Chevrolet.
There have been seven race winners this season, with 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Will Power aiming to go 16 straight seasons with a victory. The Australian got his weekend off to a strong start, leading the open test at the repaved Laguna Seca circuit; however, the driver of the No.12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet crashed during Friday’s practice and will be hoping to recover from the incident later today.